Willybluedog

Hello all,

My therapist has given me a set of daily exercises, my homework is to take my overwheming negative thoughts and replace them with a positive thought or affirmation.

I am to do this seven times a day for 21 days, as research shows if you practice a habit 7 times a day for 21 days it becomes permananty ingrained.

Would anyone be interested in this exercise, I will be glad to share it with anyone who wants it, please let me know.

Thanks again for all you have helped me accomplish in the short time I have been here.


My therapist agrees with me that the folks here have been a wonderful assist in my recovery.

Bill

LostinBA

I'm open. Please share. Thanks,

DecadesEnd

I'm open. Would love for you to share.

worriedwife2

Please do share :-)

Tuffgirl

Awesome exercise, Willy! I just had a conversation with a family member about being a pessimist vs. an optimist and is it as easy as making a choice or is it more of an ingrained personality trait? Ya know, can we just say something like from now on, I am going to be optimistic instead of focusing on the negative?

I look forward to reading more on your experiences with this exercise!

Willybluedog

Ok you can use some or all of these as needed, I wrote the positive affirmations on index cards so I can go through them fast as well as carry them in my pocket while I am out.

You choose the ones that apply to you and repeat the positive statements seven times a day for twenty one days.

Now I know this may seem hokey, it does have a Stuart Smalley quality to it, but my therapist assures me that if you follow the directions that it will work.

I hope you all find this beneficial.


Replace I don't deserve love with__I deserve love; I can have love!

Replace I am a bad person with__I am a good (loving person)!

Replace I am terrible with__I am fine as I am!

Replace I am worthless (inadequate) with__I am worthy; I am worthwhile!

Replace I am shameful with__I am honorable!

Replace I am not lovable with__I am lovable!

Replace I am not good enough with__I am deserving!

Replace I deserve only bad things with__I deserve good things!

Replace I cannot be trusted with__I can be trusted; I am trustworthy!

Replace I cannot trust myself with__I can learn to trust myself!

Replace I cannot trust my judgememt with__I can trust my judgement!

Replace I cannot succeed with__I can succeed! I will succeed!

Replace I am not in control with__I am now in control!

Replace I am powerless with__I now have choices!

Replace I am weak with __I am strong!

Replace I cannot protect myself with__I can (learn to) take care of myself!

Replace I am stupid with__I have intellegence! or I am an intellegent person!

Replace I am insignificant (unimportant) with__I am significant! I am important!

Replace I am a disappointment with__I am okay just the way I am!

Replace I deserve to die with__I deserve to live!

Replace I deserve to be miserable with__I deserve to be happy!

Replace I cannot get what I want with__I can get what I want!

Replace I am a failure or I will fail with__I can succeed! I will succeed!

Replace I have to be perfect with__It's ok for me to make mistakes!

Replace I have to please everyone with__I can be myself!

Replace I am permanantly damaged with__I can be healthy! or I am healthy!

Replace I am ugly, my body is hateful with__I am fine! I am attractive! I am lovable!

Replace I should have done something with__I did the best I could!

Replace I did something wrong with__I can learn from it! I learned from it!

Replace I am in danger with__It's over, I am safe now!

Replace I cannot stand it with__I can handle it! I can get through this!

Replace I cannot trust anyone with__I can choose who to trust!

Replace I cannot let it out with__I can choose to let it out!

Replace I do not deserve to be happy with__I can have happiness & deserve to be happy!

lillamy

I once met a woman who had survived being shot in the head and left for dead.
She said every night before she goes to bed, she writes down five things she is grateful for.
She said initially, she couldn't write, so she just thought them.
And also, initially, the things she was grateful for were things like "my head doesn't hurt quite as bad as it did yesterday."

But she formed the habit. And she credited her recovery partly to that -- or, at least her will to recover.

I think what your therapist is tasking you with has the same effect. And thank you for sharing, because that is exactly where my mind needed to be led today.

chicory

Thank you Williebluedog.
I too needed this today.
hugs
chicory

recoverywfaith

You are doing great! Thank you for sharing.

TakingCharge999

I shared this with my sister, thanks for this exercise, I´m in!!

jOSE2

Thank you Willy,

Needed a boost today.

All best wishes

Jose2

fenestra

Thank you, Willybluedog.

Pelican

Thank you for sharing, Bill

cmNJ

i am working on continuous sobriety and want to start more positive thought processes. your post was first on my search with recovery and positive thoughts. thank you for the list you posted. I copied and pasted and am going to write out 3x5 cards. great idea and great practice. 7x per day for 21 days.... awesome..... this is all doable. and possible. and the outcome..... will be positive thoughts..... excellent. THANK YOU!